Bunk
A Bunk is a price to be paid or an action done to effect a Cantrip among the Fae. Overview: The Nature of the Bunk There was a time when Glamour could be plucked out of thin air; when the fae were infused with it and had no need for such gentle coaxing. That was the Mythic Age, but that time is no more. Now in order to summon forth the Glamour required to weave a cantrip, changelings must enact strange rituals and actions which have come to be known as Bunks. Still, the Bunk is far more than a silly requirement for casting a cantrip; it is the means by which a changeling can actually touch the Dreaming within themself, allowing them to draw upon a little bit of Glamour. Nobody, not even the fae, really understand Glamour. It seems to come more readily to some than others, and it is never the same from one moment to the next. And yet over the ages, the fae have learned how to use it to create varied and wondrous effects in order to overcome the banal world. Advanced Rules for Bunks The original system for Bunks required that the player draw a random card each time they attempted to cast a cantrip. While this system was reflective of the unpredictable nature of the requirements of Glamour, it was still somewhat restrictive in that the player was limited by a certain number of cards. Inevitably the same card will be drawn for a similar situation. This limitation goes against the very nature of what Bunks are supposed to represent. Additionally, while some Bunks may be appropriate for a given cantrip, others are wildly inappropriate. While some might say that this is simply just another representation of Glamour's caprice, Bunks that seem appropriate to the cantrip being cast add flavor to the story rather than distract from it. The new system is an attempt to offer a more improvisational method of performing Bunks, which allows players to create their own Bunks on the fly — with a little bit of guidance, of course. This system completely eliminates the use of cards when casting cantrips, requiring the use of dice instead. Those players who have become accustomed to using cards may wish to use a variant of the system provided. Choosing a Bunk Whenever a character decides that they are going to cast a cantrip, they must first successfully perform a Bunk in order to call forth the Glamour required for the casting. Theoretically a Bunk can be anything from whistling a tune, to reciting a Shakespearean quotation backwards, to jumping in the air three times while holding your nose. This system provides guidelines that allow players to create their own Bunks on the spur of the moment, rather than randomly drawing them from a deck of cards. Essentially the Art determines the general nature of the act which must be performed (Chicanery often involves a verbal Bunk of some sort, while Legerdemain usually demands a physical gesture), while the Realm dictates an object or person which must be involved in the Bunk. The more extensive and involved the Bunk is, the lower the difficulty for casting the cantrip. When creating a Bunk, a player must observe the following steps: # Determine what is required for the Bunk, whether it must be a verbal phrase, a physical action, etc., by consulting the appropriate Art on the charts below. # Decide how complex the Bunk will be. The level of complexity determines how much the player may lower their base difficulty. The minimum for complexity is one, the maximum is five. One can find guidelines for the complexity of Bunks in the charts below. Additionally, many of the Bunks provided in the Changeling rulebook and the Changeling Players Kit may provide inspiration for Bunks. The Storyteller is the ultimate arbiter in deciding the level of a given Bunk. Storytellers should reward ingenious and creative players by giving them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to deciding the level of a Bunk. # Finally, the player must perform the Bunk. While it is suggested that players roleplay their Bunks if they are of a verbal nature, it is recommended that most physical actions merely be described. If for some reason the character is interrupted during the performance of the Bunk and is unable to complete it, the cantrip fails. Arts & Their Bunks Chicanery Chicanery requires a that a verbal Bunk of some sort be performed. This can be as simple as making up a new word to the reciting of a sonnet. Many Chicanery Bunks take the form of poems or silly phrases, though songs also perform adequately, of course, all must feature the Realm of the cantrip in some way. In the end it should be the character's personality that the determines the exact nature of the Bunk. Chronos A bunk for Chronos must in some way involve time or representations of time. The requirements for these Bunks are dictated by how much time must be taken to enact the Bunk rather than by a specific action. Dream-Craft The Bunks for Dream-Craft generally involve the creation of a model of the subject of the cantrip. This could be anything from making a quick sketch to creating a sculpture from clay or sand. Legerdemain Legerdemain Bunks require that the changeling perform some action or movement; generally silly or superfluous. Naming Naming Bunks usually include runes or symbolic images and actions. Primal Primal Bunks require the attainment and use of a natural element. For higher level Bunks, the natural object must be crafted in some manner. Pyretics Fire is almost always part of a Pyretics bunk. Soothsay Soothsay Bunks require the use of divination items or at higher levels the actual performance of divination. Sovereign Sovereign Bunks require that one conducts themself in the manner of royalty or adorns themself in royal garments. Wayfare Wayfare Bunks require that the changeling physically move their body in some manner; anything from a simple jump to leaping and spinning in the air and landing on their head. Higher levels require a prop of some sort. Nunnehi Bunks Most Nunnehi bunks are drawn from tribal customs, although some are more general. A Song of Power of various lengths is always appropriate. Nunnehi Chicanery As with the Kithain, Nunnehi Chicanery bunks are based in communication. Nunnehi Legerdemain Gesture and touch are the foundation of Legerdemain for the Nunnehi as well . Nunnehi Primal Nunnehi Primal bunks are almost the same, just more attached to a Nunnehi's culture. Nunnehi Soothsay Traditional foretelling tools or luck items are all part of Nunnehi Soothsay bunks . Nunnehi Sovereign Native shows of power and ritual are used by the Nunnehi for their Arts of rulership. Spirit Link Spirit Link bunks tend to incorporate object of spiritual significance to the nunnehi's personal tribe of origin or that of their Family. Nunnehi Wayfare Again, cultural norms prevail in these bunks. Menehune Bunks References # CTD. Changeling Players Guide, pp. 157-160. # WTA. Rage Across Appalachia, pp. 107-108. Category:Changeling: The Dreaming glossary